The Impact of Belief in a Just World on the Association between Developmental Trajectories of Peer Victimization and Depressive Symptoms

Chenxu Wang, Guogang Xin, Libin Zhang, Yunyun Zhang () and Lin Lin
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Chenxu Wang: Beijing Normal University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality
Guogang Xin: School of Government, Beijing Normal University
Libin Zhang: Beijing Normal University, State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning
Yunyun Zhang: Beijing Normal University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality
Lin Lin: Tianjin Normal University, Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior

Applied Research in Quality of Life, 2025, vol. 20, issue 5, No 3, 1835-1857

Abstract: Abstract Investigating developmental trajectories of peer victimization in adolescents with multi-informant reports, and elucidating the moderating effects of personal belief in a just world (PBJW) and general belief in a just world (GBJW) in the longitudinal association between different developmental trajectories and depressive symptoms. Participants were 2451 adolescents completed four self- and peer-reported victimization surveys at six-month intervals, reported belief in a just world at T1 and depressive symptoms at T4. Latent class growth analysis (LCGA) and moderating effects analysis were conducted. There were four self-reported victimization trajectories (low 75.7%, high 5.2%, decreasing 11.6%, increasing 7.5%) and five peer-reported victimization trajectories (low 63.0%, high 6.0%, moderate 19.2%, increasing 4.9%, decreasing 6.9%) during the adolescent transition period. GBJW exacerbated depressive symptoms in the “increasing self-report victimization” and “high peer-report victimization” subgroups; PBJW alleviated depressive symptoms in the “moderate peer-report victimization” subgroup. For adolescents in transition, self- and peer-reported victimization show stability and fluctuation. The roles of PBJW and GBJW in the longitudinal association between peer victimization and depressive symptoms depend on the severity of the victimization situation.

Keywords: Peer victimization; Multiple informants; Depressive symptoms; Belief in a just world; Longitudinal studies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s11482-025-10505-2

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